IllustrationTHE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB
1998 Plymouth Breeze
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Plymouth Breeze do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 117.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Breeze years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
40–25K
525–50K
1250–75K
1375–100K
9100–150K
5150K+
48 reports with mileage · 126 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports11 fire reports15 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
67 reportsI OWN A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. MY HEAD GASKET IS BAD, AND EVERYONE: THE LOCAL DEALER REPAIR SHOP AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS ALL SAY THAT IT WAS A BAD DESIGN IN THE GASKET METAL TYPE. THEY HAVE SEEN MANY OF THESE COME THROUGH THEIR SHOPS, AND NONE ARE CAUSED BY OWNER NEGLECT. IF IT IS A DEIGN ERROR, WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY $600 TO…
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I OWN A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. MY HEAD GASKET IS BAD, AND EVERYONE: THE LOCAL DEALER REPAIR SHOP AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS ALL SAY THAT IT WAS A BAD DESIGN IN THE GASKET METAL TYPE. THEY HAVE SEEN MANY OF THESE COME THROUGH THEIR SHOPS, AND NONE ARE CAUSED BY OWNER NEGLECT. IF IT IS A DEIGN ERROR, WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY $600 TO GET IT FIXED? SHOULD DESIGN DESIGN PROBLEMS BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL? *NLM
VEHICLE BEGAN LEAKING OIL DUE TO THE BLOWN HEAD GASKET. PH
MY 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A LEAKING HEAD GASKET. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH OTHER SIMILAR CAR ENGINES, BUT I DID NOT KNOW THIS UNTIL THE REPAIRS WERE BEGUN. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER SEVERAL TIMES ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I ATTEMPTED TO FOLLOW THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT I H…
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MY 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A LEAKING HEAD GASKET. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH OTHER SIMILAR CAR ENGINES, BUT I DID NOT KNOW THIS UNTIL THE REPAIRS WERE BEGUN. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER SEVERAL TIMES ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I ATTEMPTED TO FOLLOW THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT I HAD BEEN MISINFORMED BY THEIR EMPLOYEES. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS SITUATION IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING. IF MORE DETAILS ARE NEEDED, PLEASE CONTACT ME. DT
OIL LEAKING FROM HEAD GASKET, WAS DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION OF SHIFTER CABLE WHICH WASNT INSTALLED PROPERLY AFTER REPLACEMENT DUE TO A RECALL. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD RAN OUT THE DAY BEFORE IT WAS NOTICED, ALTHOUGH IT HAD APPARENTLY BEEN LEAKING FOR AWHILE. CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING, WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE BUTTON TO TUR…
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OIL LEAKING FROM HEAD GASKET, WAS DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION OF SHIFTER CABLE WHICH WASNT INSTALLED PROPERLY AFTER REPLACEMENT DUE TO A RECALL. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD RAN OUT THE DAY BEFORE IT WAS NOTICED, ALTHOUGH IT HAD APPARENTLY BEEN LEAKING FOR AWHILE. CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING, WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE BUTTON TO TURN IT ON, THE LIGHT COMES ON BUT THE SPEED CANNOT BE SET AND AFTER A FEW TRIES THE LIGHT WILL GO OUT AND YOU CANNOT GET IT TO COME BACK ON. A/C VENTS, THERE IS A STRANGE SMELL THAT SMELLS LIKE MILDEW OR MOLD THAT COMES FROM THE VENTS WHEN YOU TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONER OR HEAT, THIS HAS BEEN ADRESSED WITH A DEALERSHIP AND WAS TAKEN CARE OF BUT RETURNED A FEW DAYS LATER. MR
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE,IT WILL JUST START HESITATING TO ACCELERATE, HAD VEHICLE TOWED, DEALERSHIP REPLACED TRANSMISSION, PROBLEM REACCURED, OW THEY ARE REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET. NLM
HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED ONCE AT 70,000 NOW NEEDS AGAIN AT 95,000 ALSO FRONT STABILIZER BAR IS LOOSE. *AK
BEEN DRIVING FOR 53 YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST HEAD GASKET I EVER HAD THAT FAILED. ALL SERVICE PEOPLE I TALK TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A PREVALENT BREESE/NEON PROBLEM.NHTSA SEARCHES SHOW 1996 1988 DODGE NEON FAILURES, 39 PLYMOUTH NEON FAILURES & 20 PLYMOUTH BREEZE FAILURES. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE MFG. HASN'T TAKEN ANY ACTION. HAVE THE…
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BEEN DRIVING FOR 53 YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST HEAD GASKET I EVER HAD THAT FAILED. ALL SERVICE PEOPLE I TALK TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A PREVALENT BREESE/NEON PROBLEM.NHTSA SEARCHES SHOW 1996 1988 DODGE NEON FAILURES, 39 PLYMOUTH NEON FAILURES & 20 PLYMOUTH BREEZE FAILURES. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE MFG. HASN'T TAKEN ANY ACTION. HAVE THEY? COST = $800!!!!!.*AK
2.0L ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL, AND LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER WHO REPAIRED A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK *NLM
HEAD GASKET LEAKING AND REPLACED. 1 YEAR LATER HAED GASKET IS LEAKING AGAIN. TOLD BY MECHANIC THIS IS A PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL.*AK
Official recalls
304V021000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
Jan 13, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK MAY FAIL AND ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH THE KEY REMOVED. AN INOPERATIVE INTERLOCK MAY ALSO ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: EITHER CIRCUMSTANCE MAY RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AWAY WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOAD-LIMITING PUSH ROD INTO THE FLOOR SHIFTER LEVER OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 14, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
99V244000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 15, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE TUBE CAN CONTACT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP AND WEAR A HOLE IN IT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DAIMLERCHRYSLER RECALL NO. 843. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE TUBE COULD LEAK, REDUCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE-HALF OF THE DIAGONALLY SPLIT BRAKING SYSTEM, AND RESULTING IN LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE TUBES FOR VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP. IF THE TUBE SHOWS EVIDENCE OF CONTACT, IT WILL BE REPLACED. IF NO EVIDENCE OF CONTACT EXISTS, THE TUBE WILL BE FASTENED WITH A CLIP.
98V183000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:park/neutral Start Interlock Switch
Aug 6, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE CABLE CONNECTING THE CONSOLE SHIFTER MECHANISM TO THE IGNITION KEY CAN CAUSE A TRAPPED KEY CONDITION WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOW FORCE REQUIRED TO DEPRESS THE SHIFT BUTTON. A COMBINATION OF APPLYING A MIS-ADJUSTED RELEASE BUTTON WITH A LOW FORCE ATTEMPT TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITH THE KEY IN THE LOCKED POSITION, CAN BREAK THE CONNECTING PIN IN THE SHIFTER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE "IGNITION-PARK" INTERLOCK SYSTEM WILL BE NONFUNCTIONAL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM. ANY VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL AFTER THE INSPECTION WILL HAVE THE SHIFT MECHANISM AND CABLE REPLACED WITH A "SELF-ADJUSTING" DESIGN.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA03011 · Auto Trans IGNITION-PARK Interlock
Opened Jul 17, 2003 · Closed Jan 30, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
THE MANUFACTURER REPORTS ABOVE ARE BASED ON DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S (DC) ANALYSIS OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 (POPULATION = 356,384) AND 1999 (POPULATION = 486,948) JA, JX AND LH FAMILY SUBJECT VEHICLE DATA (EARLIER MYS EXCLUDED).THE POPULATION NUMBER INCLUDES ALL MYS.THE PRECISE NUMBER OF DUPLICATES BETWEEN ODI AND DC REPORTS CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MISSING OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.THE FATALITY INCIDENT INVOLVED AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTED TO STOP A ROLL AWAY VEHICLE AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.ODI ALSO GATHERED INFORMATION ON MY 1997-99 PROWLER VEHICLES IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THE PROWLER VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN SHIFTER MECHANISM (THE SHIFT LEVER IS SHORTER).THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS OF PROWLER INTERLOCK FAILURE IN ODI?S DATABASE, AND DC HAS RECEIVED NO REPORTS EITHER.THE PROWLER IS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL SCOPE.THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A CONDITION WHERE THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM COULD FAIL (OR BE MADE INOPERATIVE BY THE OPERATOR) DURING VEHICLE USE, POSSIBLY INADVERTENTLY.THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM IS REQUIRED UNDER FMVSS 114.WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE IGNITION KEY OFF, THE COMBINED ACTION OF PRESSING THE SHIFT BUTTON AND PULLING THE SHIFT LEVER REARWARD MAY RESULT IN THE OPERATOR OVERCOMING THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE MECHANICAL LINKAGE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISCONNECT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THERE IS NO OVERT INDICATION TO AN OPERATOR THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFEATED, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY EXISTS.UNDER RECALL 04V021, DC WILL REPLACE DAMAGED SHIFT MECHANISMS, AND WILL INSTALL ON ALL VEHICLES A DEVICE WHICH INHIBITS THE OPERATOR?S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK AND DEFEAT THE SYSTEM.BEGINNING WITH MY 2000, DC INCORPORATED A BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER INTERLOCK (BTSI) SYSTEM INTO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INTRODUCTION OF BTSI INVOLVED DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE (RMA) OF THE SHIFT BUTTON.THE RMA SHIFTER REQUIRES INCREASED FORCES TO OVERCOME THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM, MAKING THE SHIFTER LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE.
EA99028 · Steering Shaft Binding
Opened Sep 10, 1999 · Closed Jul 26, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available